Paul E Stry Foundation Inc
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in Wisconsin and Minnesota, including conservation, community, education, and disability-support organizations.
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Paul E Stry Foundation Inc gave $160K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $160,034
- +33.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- -23.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,002
- +74.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,797
- Total assets
- $3,568,528
- +0.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Paul E Stry Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 230 Front St N, La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 782-1148
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Paul E Stry Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was City of La Crescent ($50K). Together the top 10 received $154K.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 70 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 69% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin and 31% to recipients in Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
How Paul E Stry Foundation Inc gives
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 61% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 135% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2023) to $238K (2021). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $160K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of La Crescent La Crescent, MN | Donation | $50,000 |
| Wisconsin DNR Madison, WI | Donation | $40,000 |
| Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh La Crosse, WI | Donation | $12,000 |
| Norskedalen Coon Valley, WI | Donation | $10,000 |
| Wiscorps La Crosse, WI | Donation | $10,000 |
| Friends of the Blufflands La Crosse, WI | Donation | $10,000 |
| The Prairie Enthusiasts Viroqua, WI | Donation | $7,500 |
| Grow La Crosse La Crosse, WI | Donation | $6,200 |
| Driftless Birds Onalaska, WI | Donation | $5,394 |
| University of Wisconsin La Crosse Foundation Music Department La Crosse, WI | Donation | $3,300 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,568,528 | $240,444 | $229,049 | $160,034 | 16 | $200,198 | $210,537 | $148,177 |
| 2024 | $3,550,555 | $216,903 | $188,571 | $120,168 | 21 | $166,214 | $194,338 | $141,669 |
| 2023 | $3,518,286 | $97,883 | $59,335 | $1,550 | 1 | $37,147 | $74,927 | $145,661 |
| 2022 | $3,475,852 | $139,584 | $271,175 | $99,137 | 18 | $236,216 | $103,406 | $156,411 |
| 2021 | $3,605,574 | $609,462 | $319,000 | $238,217 | 14 | $291,056 | $578,020 | $173,322 |
| 2020 | $3,315,112 | $298,982 | $291,774 | $208,650 | 20 | — | $258,258 | $168,973 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Paul E Stry Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $148K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose work spans several areas. For example, The Prairie Enthusiasts says it works to protect, manage, and restore prairie, oak savanna, and related Upper Midwest ecosystems, and to provide education. AbleLight says it supports and advocates for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $160,034. Grant amounts ranged from $165 to $50,000, with a median of $5,797. Major grants included $50,000 to the City of La Crescent, $40,000 to Wisconsin DNR, $12,000 to Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh, and $10,000 each to Norskedalen, WisCorps, and Friends of the Blufflands. The Prairie Enthusiasts received $7,500, and AbleLight received $1,320.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert Swartz as president; R Patrick Caffrey as vice-president; Craig Thompson as secretary/treasurer; Robert Skemp Jr as past secretary/treasurer; and Theodore Skemp as past vice-president.
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc is led by Robert Swartz, President on every filing since 2020; 3 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Swartz
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Robert Skemp Jr.
Past Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary & Treasurer → Past Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Theodore Skemp
Past Vice President
Vice President → Past Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Craig Thompson
Secretary & Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
R. Patrick Caffrey
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $5K, to Robert Swartz (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Paul E Stry Foundation Inc
How much does Paul E Stry Foundation Inc give each year?
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc gave $160K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $120K across 21 grants.
What is Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,797, and its average grant was $10,002, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Paul E Stry Foundation Inc give grants?
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (31%). The most frequent recipient cities were La Crosse, WI (8 grants), Viroqua, WI (2 grants) and Onalaska, WI (2 grants).
Does Paul E Stry Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (16 grants).
Who are Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include City of La Crescent ($50,000), Wisconsin DNR ($40,000) and Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh ($12,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Paul E Stry Foundation Inc?
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $200K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $148K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Paul E Stry Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose work spans several areas. For example, The Prairie Enthusiasts says it works to protect, manage, and restore prairie, oak savanna, and related Upper Midwest ecosystems, and to provide education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Paul E Stry Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's EIN?
Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1598681. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Paul E Stry Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Paul E Stry Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/paul-e-stry-foundation-inc-morg_dda16b18ab87402f9de5e46d37bf469b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_391598681_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Paul E Stry Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/paul-e-stry-foundation-inc-morg_dda16b18ab87402f9de5e46d37bf469b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Paul E Stry Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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